Johannesburg - This year Business and Arts SA (Basa) will be celebrating its 23rd awards edition. For the last 22 years, Basa has been bringing business and the arts closer for mutual benefit.
“We aren’t a typical funding agency. What we do is augment and amplify partnerships. There are many countries in the world where there is no national arts council, and you have to figure out how to do your work, so we are lucky to have those,” chief executive Ashraf Johaardien said.
Johaardien has worked in the funding landscape for many years.
“One of Basa’s chief aims is to create confidence in the private sector in big business and investing in the arts.
“Over the years as the language shifted from arts to ‘creative’ we expanded our base.
“The purpose of the awards is to showcase how business can meaningfully partner with the creative sector where there is value for both sectors.”
Johaardien said there were very few disciplines that had overall national awards like Basa.
“The awards will be digital this year and we have used the opportunity to really overhaul the event by introducing seven categories and one special award, we have cut back from 13 categories.
“We are all about celebrating the power of partnerships.”
During the pandemic, Basa has been helping several artists, including performers, visual artists, and fashion designers with grants to help keep them afloat.
“50% of the annual Hollard sponsorship commitment to the event will be redirected to the relief effort for creatives.
“We have created the opportunity for big business to give and have raised R500 000. Through the campaign we have disbursed over R1.5 million.
“We are still open for applications for artists who have been affected with Covid-19. Medical grants have been made available as artists don’t often have medical aid. About 1 500 artists so far have been helped.”
Johaardien added that they would be able to go back to some of the artists on their waiting list and offer them additional relief grants through the help of the Department of Arts and Culture and businesses.
He spoke on the impact of Covid-19 on artists and creatives: “Art has been a tricky choice; gig culture is not easy when you don’t know where the next exhibition or production is coming from.
“The industry as a whole has been quick to pivot towards online and try to make that work. It’s been devastating, but artists have been resilient, and able to rally and get work to audiences.”
For the awards, all creative mediums will be considered for the digital awards, including music, visual arts, dance, theatre, physical performance, architecture, fashion and design, as well as any other form of arts, culture and creativity. Where sponsorship of a project, event or organisation has been shared, each of the sponsoring companies is eligible to enter.
“The outlook is optimistic and Covid-19 has taught us a few things. We have always struggled for audiences and to advocate for the intrinsic value of the arts.
“It is the health of society; as people have turned on their TV’s and web pages during the lockdown, they turned to arts to console themselves,” he said.
The Basa awards take place later this month.
The Star